1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a hydrodynamic clutch device comprising an impeller wheel with a plurality of impeller wheel blades arranged successively in circumferential direction about an axis of rotation, a turbine wheel which is located axially opposite the impeller wheel and has a plurality of turbine wheel blades arranged successively in circumferential direction and a stator wheel with a plurality of stator wheel blades which are arranged successively in circumferential direction in an area between the impeller wheel blades and the turbine wheel blades and are supported on a blade carrier. The stator wheel blades, the impeller wheel blades and the turbine wheel blades define a fluid circulation zone extending substantially annularly about the axis of rotation. A torsional vibration damper arrangement has a damper element arrangement which, at least in some areas, is arranged radially inside the fluid circulation zone and overlaps axially with the fluid circulation zone.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,894 discloses a fluid clutch wherein the turbine wheel and the impeller wheel are situated directly across from one another. A turbine wheel shell of the turbine wheel is shaped in such a way that it forms an indentation providing space for receiving a torsional vibration damper arrangement. Along with the turbine wheel shell, a central disk element of the torsional vibration damper arrangement is fixedly connected to a turbine wheel hub on the radial inner side.
JP-A-57-57958 discloses a hydrodynamic clutch device which is constructed as a hydrodynamic torque converter. The stator wheel blades which are mounted on a support are provided in the radial inner area of the turbine wheel blades and impeller wheel blades. A torsional vibration damper arrangement is positioned substantially radially inside the turbine wheel blades next to the stator wheel so as to overlap axially with the turbine wheel blades.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a hydrodynamic clutch device which provides sufficient installation space to accommodate comparatively large torsional vibration damper arrangements particularly also when a stator wheel is present.
According to the present invention, the blade carrier is shaped in such a way that it conforms at least partially to an outer contour of the damper element arrangement.
Adapting the blade carrier to the contour of the damper element arrangement and to its damper elements also makes it possible for the damper element arrangement or damper elements of the latter to penetrate into the area of the blade carrier. In this way, a larger axial overlap is possible between the area in which the fluid circulation takes place and the torsional vibration damper arrangement, so that the total required axial installation space can be reduced.
It may be provided, for example, that the damper element arrangement is constructed with a circular profile at least in the circumferential areas and that the blade carrier is provided in its radial area associated with the damper element arrangement with a concave shape adapted to the circular contour of the damper element arrangement. In this way, it can be ensured that the torsional vibration damper arrangement and the blade carrier are held in a very close fit with respect to one another.
Further, in the clutch device according to the invention, the torsional vibration damper arrangement can preferably have a central disk element at a turbine wheel hub and a cover disk element at both axial sides thereof, wherein the cover disk elements are fixedly connected to one another and one of the cover disk elements is constructed for coupling with a lockup clutch arrangement for transmission of torque and the other cover disk element is formed at least partially by a turbine wheel shell of the turbine wheel. In this way, the turbine wheel and the torsional vibration damper arrangement are merged with respect to function and components.
It can also be provided that the central disk element and the cover disk elements have interaction areas for application of force upon the damper elements of the damper element arrangement and that the interaction areas provided at the other cover disk element are formed by portions which are shaped or punched or formed in the like manner at the cover disk element.
In order to prevent lateral deflection of the various damper elements of the damper element arrangement without having to provide additional structural component parts, it is suggested that the turbine wheel shell forms a support for the damper element arrangement in an area between two interaction areas of the other cover disk element.
Even when interaction areas are provided at the turbine wheel shell, impairment of stability in the area of the turbine wheel is comparatively minor when the interaction areas provided at the other cover disk element cooperate with the associated damper elements of the damper element arrangement in an angular range of 70xc2x0-110xc2x0, preferably about 90xc2x0, of the damper elements which are constructed with an approximately circular contour. Particularly when sheet metal material is used for the different cover disk elements or turbine wheel shell, it can be provided for increased stability chiefly in the areas which are acted upon by the damper elements that at least one of the cover disk elements comprises hardened sheet metal material at least in its interaction areas, preferably sheet metal material which is hardened by gas nitriding.
Hydrodynamic clutch devices are used in a wide variety of vehicles. Since different technical requirements and different price considerations exist for use in different vehicles, it may be necessary, depending on the type of vehicle, to use hydrodynamic clutch devices with or without a torsional vibration damper arrangement. In order to minimize as far as possible the quantity of parts which the producer of such clutch devices must keep on hand, it is suggested that the central disk element is fixedly connected to the two cover disk elements while omitting the damper elements of the damper element arrangement in a manner which essentially prohibits a relative rotational movement between the central disk element and the cover disk elements. Accordingly, in the hydrodynamic clutch arrangement according to the invention in which the damper element arrangement, i.e., essentially the damper springs, is omitted, this means that, with the exception of the latter, the same structural component parts are used, that is, structural component parts which are actually constructed in principle for incorporating damper elements and damper springs, but which are connected to one another so as to be fixed with respect to relative rotation even when torque transmission does not or can not take place by means of the damper elements which are no longer present.
According to another feature of the present invention, the damper element arrangement is arranged so as to overlap axially with the stator wheel blades.
According to another feature of the present invention, this invention is directed to a hydrodynamic clutch device comprising an impeller wheel with a plurality of impeller wheel blades arranged successively in circumferential direction about an axis of rotation, a turbine wheel which is located axially opposite the impeller wheel and has a plurality of turbine wheel blades arranged successively in circumferential direction, wherein the turbine wheel has a turbine wheel shell having the turbine wheel blades and a turbine wheel hub which can be coupled or is coupled with a driven member for common rotation, wherein the turbine wheel shell and the turbine wheel hub are constructed so as to interact with damper elements of a damper element arrangement.
It is further provided that the turbine wheel shell and turbine wheel hub are fixedly connected to one another so as to prohibit relative rotation.
According to another feature of the present invention, this invention is directed to a hydrodynamic clutch device comprising an impeller wheel with a plurality of impeller wheel blades arranged successively in circumferential direction about an axis of rotation, a turbine wheel which is located axially opposite the impeller wheel and has a plurality of turbine wheel blades arranged successively in circumferential direction, wherein the turbine wheel has a turbine wheel shell having the turbine wheel blades and a turbine wheel hub which can be coupled or is coupled with a driven member for common rotation, a torsional vibration damper arrangement with a plurality of damper elements supported at a central disk element which is provided on the turbine wheel hub and at cover disk elements which are provided on both sides of the central disk element and which are fixedly connected to one another for transmission of torque between the central disk element and the cover disk element.
In this connection, it is further provided that the component group comprising the cover disk elements is supported or can be supported in radial direction with respect to the component group comprising the central disk element by a plurality of members which fixedly join the cover disk elements to one another and/or that the component group comprising the cover disk elements is supported or can be supported in radial direction with respect to the component group comprising the central disk element by radial support of an inner circumferential area of at least one of the cover disk elements at the component group comprising the central disk element.
A construction of this type makes possible a reliably acting radial bearing support for the two essential areas of the torsional vibration damper arrangement with respect to one another without requiring structural component parts taking up additional installation space.
For example, a radial bearing surface which is preferably formed by cutting can be provided at the central disk element and the at least one cover disk element can be brought into contact at this radial bearing surface in radial direction. Alternatively or in addition, it is possible that a bearing surface which faces radially inward and which can be supported in radial direction on the component group comprising the central disk element is formed on at least one of the cover disk elements by bending.
In another construction which can be realized in a very simple manner and which ultimately requires no additional machining steps, it can be provided that the two cover disk elements are fixedly connected with one another by connection pin elements which penetrate the central disk element in openings extending in circumferential direction and which are supported or can be supported at the central disk element in radial direction.
One of the cover disk elements can be constructed for torque transmission coupling with a lockup clutch arrangement and the other cover disk element can be formed at least partially by a turbine wheel shell of the turbine wheel.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.